Organization: Working Hands Legal Clinic
Job Location: Chicago, IL
Salary: Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
Submission Deadline: Until Filled

Position Description

Progressive, Non-Profit Worker Rights Legal Clinic in Chicago Seeks Executive Director

The Chicago-based Working Hands Legal Clinic (“WHLC”) seeks a new Executive Director. WHLC works with a network of community-based worker centers to provide accessible legal support to low wage workers and support for worker center campaigns for workplace justice. As a member of the Illinois Just Payfor All Coalition (“JPFA”), WHLC is also one of the few organizations in the country that has recently helped achieve pro-worker legislation such as the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act and the 2010 Amendments to the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. We are looking to expand our work to fight discrimination that shuts ex-offenders and immigrants out of economic opportunities. WHLC seeks a dynamic executive director to further WHLC’s policy initiatives while overseeing WHLC’s outreach and litigation efforts. The ideal candidate must be a team player and value other members’ contributions independent of hierarchy.

Pay and benefits: Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications;
Individual health insurance (HMO);
Student loan reimbursement program.

Please email resumes and cover letter to lbicchieri@chicagoworkerscollaborative.org (No phone calls please.)

DUTIES/QUALIFICATIONS

Duties

* Litigation and related work on all aspects of legal cases, especially wage and hour cases, but also some work on discrimination cases, and the illegal use of criminal and credit background checks.

* Organizational development, including increasing capacity and fundraising.

* Working with board of directors to set WHLC’s yearly goals.

* Working with organizers and staff from ally organizations to design and implement legal strategies in support of organizing.

* Overseeing regulatory compliance, office management, database management.

* Supervising staff attorneys, and paralegal staff, externs, interns etc.

* Maintaining relationships with different worker centers throughout the Chicago area as well a diverse set of ally organization and stakeholder that WHLC works with reach low wage workers.

Position Requirements

Qualifications

*A J.D. and admission to the Illinois and Federal bar, or willingness to pass the Illinois bar as quickly as possible.

* Experience in organizing, public policy advocacy, organizational management, or development, or related areas of work, a big plus.

* The ideal candidate will have some experience with nonprofit management and fundraising as well as some litigation experience.

* Candidate must be individually motivated, excited to build a project, and able to keep momentum.

* Must be able to wear many hats and be adept at relationship management – from the Board to the funders to Judges in the court room to, most importantly, organizers and worker-members from WHLC’s ally organizations.

* Familiarity with Employment Law important; and Discrimination/Civil Rights Law a big plus.

* Some experience with public relations/communications also a plus. The candidate must have excellent oral and written communications skills.

* Ability to understand and communicate in Spanish is important. Some flexibility here, depending on the other levels of skill, experience, and competence of the applicant.

 

How to Apply

Please email resumes and cover letter to lbicchieri@chicagoworkerscollaborative.org (No phone calls please.)

Notes

WHLC is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Attachments

Click on the link(s) below to open the attached files.
File Name	Type	Size
WHLC - ED job announcement.doc	DOC	26.1KB

Last updated: May 10, 2012